Produced for The Learning Institute, Originally published on the Learning Institute website on December 12, 2017.
In continuing with the series, the second part of Life On The Tonle Sap introduces you to people from the Peam Bang Commune who have chosen fishing (and other related activities) over customary livelihoods to sustain themselves.
SAMNANG, 15, FOOD VENDOR
PEAM BANG COMMUNE
15 year old Samnang is happy to help his mother sell food in their floating stall when he is not busy with his school work. He and his mother usually work a 12-hour shift beginning from 6:00AM till 6:00PM.
Their most popular selling item on the menu is Boklahung (a kind of salad with papaya and vegetables). Samnang's father also has a stall but he sells it from their boat house.
They earn around 70,000 to 80,000 riel per day, half of which goes in buying groceries and ingredients.
CHHUN SAO, 55, MECHANIC
PEAM BANG COMMUNE
Chhun Sao is the only mechanic in Peam Bang and most of his time is spent fixing the fishing boats in the community.
He is assisted by his son and he hopes that others in the community would show interest in his profession too as it is profitable for them, financially and also practically.
Although he is not short of customers, Chhun Sao has already made his decision to move permanently from Peam Bang to Stung district where he will carry on with his profession.
He is currently waiting for the government's approval on land that has been provided to him.
Recorded interviews with Samnang and Chhun Sao were translated from Khmer to English by Kong Phidor and Otdam Hor from The Learning Institute